QOD: The richer your friends, the more they cost you. ~ Elisabeth Marbury (June 19, 1856 ~ Jan. 22, 1933), American theatrical and literary agent.
Friday 15 October 2010
Thursday 14 October 2010
Thursday, October 14, 2010
QOD: The love that last the longest is the love that is
never returned. ~ W. Somerset Maugham (né William Somerset Maugham; Jan. 25, 1874 ~ Dec. 16,
1965), British novelist
Wednesday 13 October 2010
Wednesday, October 13, 2010
QOD: Ninety-nine percent of the failures come from people who have the habit of making excuses. ~ George Washington Carver (Jan. 1, 1864 ~ Jan. 5, 1943), African-American agricultural scientist and inventor
Today’s Theme: Today’s Troubled Economy. The first word of each theme response describes an individual’s financial status, from wealth to poverty.
17. Challenges for an Interviewee = LOADED QUESTIONS.
25. Not Even Close = WELL OFF THE MARK. I initially tried Wide off the Mark, but that doesn’t fit today’s theme.
40. Journalism Bigwig = MANAGING EDITOR.
51. Defied Tradition = BROKE WITH CUSTOM.
Across:
1. Mr. or Mrs. = ABBR. Wow! A tricky first clue! I had the down clues filling in “ABB_” before the lightbulb went on and I realized we were going for an abbreviation.
5. Furtive Message = MEET ME. Does a request to “meet me” really have a hidden agenda?
11. New Deal Prog. = TVA. Stands for the Tennessee Valley Authority. My initial response was the WPA (Works Process Administration), which was also a New Deal program.
14. ‘Toon Predator ____ E Coyote = WILE. From the Road Runner cartoons.
15. First Pro Team to Play on Artificial Turf = ASTROS. Is that where the word Astroturf came from?
20. Serious Religious Dissents = HERESIES.
21. Elite Eight Org. = NCAA. Stands for National Collegiate Athletic Association.
22. Trinidad’s Partner = TOBAGO.
24. Digital Greeting = E-CARD.
30. ____ the Finish = IN AT. As in the phrase I have never used: In at the finish.
31. Seventh of Eight, Now = URANUS. I got this one immediately. Once there were nine planets, but now that Pluto has been demoted, there are only eight. Uranus is the eighth planet from the sun. // And 37-Across: Neptune, for One = SEAGOD. Neptune is both a planet and a Roman god.
32. Japanese Drama = NOH. We had this clue within the past week.
33. Bar Shot = SNORT. Huh?
34. “May I Help You?” = YES. Rather obscure clue/response combination.
39. It May be Raw = DATA. Oysters may also be raw, but that word is too many letters.
44. Goof = BONER. This is becoming a crossword staple.
45. Kind of Will or Trust = LIVING.
46. Greek Vowel = IOTA.
47. “If You Ask Me …” = “AS I SEE IT.” Another so-so clue.
55. Spy Novelist Deighton = LEN. I used to read a lot of his books when I was in high school.
56. It’s Attractive = MAGNET. Great clue! It had me fooled for the longest time.
57. Earthenware Pot = OLLA. Learned this word from doing crossword puzzles.
58. Big Name in Ice Cream = EDY. Edy’s Ice Cream is slow-churned, whatever that means.
59. Church Councils = SYNODS.
60. Fix Up = REDO. Well, Mend is actually a more accurate response to the clue, but doesn’t work with the perps.
Down:
1. Hole-Making Tool = AWL. I learned about the awl from doing crossword puzzles.
2. Many a Britannica Article = BIO. Stands for biography. The Britannica has short biographies on famous people.
3. Mindless Chatter = BLAH BLAH.
4. Reacted to Giving Out Too Many Cards = REDEALT.
5. Constituted From = MADE OF.
6. ABA Honorifics = ESQS. Stands for Esquire. I don’t use this honorific; it seems so pretentious.
7. Case in a Purse, Perhaps = ETUI. Another crossword word. Even with a picture, I still won't remember this word.
8. Elder or Alder = TREE.
9. Trunk Growth = MOSS. Great misleading clue. I initially tried Ring.
10. D.C. Setting = EST. Stands for Eastern Standard Time, as in the time zone.
12. Joan of “Knots Landing” = VAN ARK. Knots Landing was a Dallas spinoff.
13. Longtime Syrian Ruling Family Name = ASSAD.
18. Consequently = ERGO.
19. Pizarro Victims = INCAS.
22. Womb-Mate = TWIN. My favorite clue of the day.
23. Vintner’s Prefix = OENO. Another crossword staple.
24. Outback Critter = EMU. Somehow, I think of critters as being small, cute creatures, not big, feathery birds.
26. Yeasts, e.g. = FUNGI.
27. Eight-Time British Open Host Town = TROON. No idea.
28. Greek Leader? = HARD G. Oh, I was thinking along the terms of Hellenistic.
29. M.D.’s Specialty = ENT. Stands for Ear, Nose, and Throat.
33. Shows Signs of Age, as a Roof = SAG.
34. 1950s Niners Hall of Fame Quarterback = Y.A. Tittle. No idea. I don’t quarterbacks who play today, much less who played before I was born.
35. Harrow Rival = ETON. I misread this as Harlow rival, so was thinking of a rival of the actress Jean Harlow, instead of the prestigious schools in England.
36. Puppeteer Tony = SARG. No idea.
37. Weasel = SNEAK. Another great misleading clue. I was thinking of the critter.
38. Listening Device = EAR.
40. Tied in the Harbor = MOORED.
41. 1963 Burton Role = ANTONY. He played Antony in the movie Cleopatra with Elizabeth Taylor.
42. Picks = ELECTS. I initially wrote Select.
43. “Mon ____!”: Poirot Exclamation = DIEU. A reference to Agatha Christie’s detective Hercule Periot. I used to read Agatha Christie mysteries also.
44. Book Read by Millions = BIBLE. Do people actually read the Bible, or do they just say they do?
47. Traveling = AWAY.
48. Communicating Digitally? = SIGN. Oh, I ignored the question mark and was thinking of electronic communications.
50. Get Rid Of = SHED.
52. Magnesium Has Two = EMS. As in the letter “M.” I didn’t get tricked by this clue this time.
53. Passé = OLD.
54. Cultural Revolution Leader = MAO.
1. Mr. or Mrs. = ABBR. Wow! A tricky first clue! I had the down clues filling in “ABB_” before the lightbulb went on and I realized we were going for an abbreviation.
1. Hole-Making Tool = AWL. I learned about the awl from doing crossword puzzles.
Tuesday 12 October 2010
Tuesday, October 12, 2010
QOD: I tend to live in the past because most of my life is there. ~ Herb Caen (né Herbert Eugene Caen; Apr. 3, 1916 ~ Feb. 1, 1997), American journalist and columnist
Monday 11 October 2010
Monday, October 11, 2010
QOD: False friendship, like the ivy, decays and ruins the walls it embraces. ~ Sir Richard Burton (né Richard Francis Burton; Mar. 19, 1821 ~ Oct. 20, 1890), British explorer
Sunday 10 October 2010
Sunday, October 10, 2010
QOD: Life is one long process of getting tired. ~ Samuel Butler (Dec. 4, 1835 ~ June 18, 1902), British author